Certain approaches described in certain sections of this disclosure and identified as “background” or “prior approaches” are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches that are so described actually qualify as prior art merely by virtue of identification as “background” or “prior approaches.”
Several computer-automated systems are presently available with which end users or consumers of products may design, preview, and order custom-manufactured products that incorporate images or graphics. Examples of products include wearing apparel, beverage vessels, and accessory items. In a typical system, an end user or consumer uses a general purpose computer terminal, such as a personal computer with a browser, to connect over a public network to a server computer. The user selects a stored graphic image, or uploads a digital image that the user obtained or made. The user selects a type of product to which the graphic image is to be applied and specifies various parameter values relating to the product such as color, size, image placement location, or others. The server computer or terminal generates a rendered image showing how the product will appear after custom manufacture with the specified image applied. The user approves the rendered image and places an order for the product. A manufacturer receives the order data, manufactures the product as specified and provides the custom manufactured product to the user.
One type of product of interest—not offered in typical prior systems—is framed or mounted materials. A frame may comprise wood molding, metal pieces, or plastics. The mounting may include one or more mats or may comprise float mounting. The materials may include digital images of film photographs, original digital art, prints, paintings, animation cells, or any other graphical work or work of the visual arts. Individualized online design and custom manufacture of such framed and mounted material is either impossible or imperfect using existing systems.